The present invention relates generally to the presentation of products on a shelf at a point of purchase and pertains, more specifically, to a shelf product management and information display for identifying product allocated to a portion of a shelf at a point of purchase and for providing a purchaser with extended information pertaining to the allocated product.
The increasing number and variety of products offered to purchasers on shelves placed at points of purchase can engender confusion and even frustration in a purchaser attempting to distinguish between various brands when selecting a product for purchase. Consequently, the more product information which can be presented to a potential purchaser at the point of purchase of a particular product, the more likely it becomes that the informed purchaser will choose to purchase that product. It would be advantageous, then, to have available a display which can provide a maximum amount of information, presented in an aesthetically pleasing and non-overwhelming manner, in a minimal amount of space, so as to be adapted readily to commonly available shelf arrangements.
Further, the demands for shelf space, especially at certain retail outlets, requires careful management of available shelf space so that products allocated to specific shelf areas always are placed and replaced with accuracy and care. In addition, effective management of available shelf space requires the ability to change space allocation with ease, and any associated display information should be amenable to ready change to accommodate a change in the product allocated to a given shelf space.
The present invention facilitates the management of products allocated to specified shelf areas while providing potential purchasers with extended product information presented in an appealing manner within the confines of the limited space ordinarily available at such locations. As such, the present invention attains several objects and advantages, some of which are summarized as follows: Accomplishes effective management of products placed on shelves at points of purchase through the provision of adequate product identification information at the shelf space allocated to the product, utilizing minimal display space; provides extended product information for review by a potential purchaser directly at the point of purchase of the product, with minimal encroachment upon shelf space; presents an aesthetically pleasing and non-invasive display of comprehensive information pertaining to a product placed on a shelf at a point of purchase, directly at the point of purchase; provides an ergonomic display readily utilized by purchasers to obtain extensive product information quickly and with ease, thereby encouraging purchasers to select the product identified in the display; allows ease of changing the information displayed at a particular point of purchase so as to maintain current the information pertaining to a particular product offered at that point of purchase; provides a relatively simple and economical display compatible with and readily installed at convenient locations on conventional shelving for exemplary long-term performance.
The above objects and advantages, as well as further objects and advantages, are attained by the present invention which may be described briefly as a shelf product management and information display for identifying product allocated to a portion of a shelf at a point of purchase and for providing a purchaser with extended information pertaining to the allocated product, the display comprising: an elongate basal element for extending longitudinally along a portion of a shelf at a point of purchase, adjacent a front edge of the shelf, the basal element including a forward edge for extending adjacent the front edge of the shelf, and a rearward edge laterally opposite the forward edge; a channel element extending longitudinally adjacent the forward edge of the basal element; a first display area extending along the channel element for carrying information pertaining to product allocated to the portion of the shelf; a wall element extending longitudinally adjacent the rearward edge of the basal element and spaced laterally from the forward edge, the wall element having an altitudinally upper portion; a second display area extending longitudinally along the basal element and located between the forward edge and the rearward edge of the basal element for carrying extended information pertaining to the allocated product; a cover element extending longitudinally in juxtaposition with the basal member, the cover element having a forward border and laterally opposite rearward border, an obverse face located laterally between the forward border and the rearward border, and a reverse face located laterally between the forward border and the rearward border; a third display area extending along the obverse face of the cover element for carrying further information pertaining to the allocated product; a fourth display area extending along the reverse face of the cover element for carrying further extended information pertaining to the allocated product; a hinge connecting the cover element with the altitudinally upper portion of the wall element for selective movement of the cover element between a closed position wherein the cover element overlies the basal element, with the fourth display area confronting the second display area and both the fourth display area and the second display area hidden from view, while the first display area and the third display area are available for view, and an open position wherein the cover element is raised altitudinally away from the basal element to expose the fourth display area and the second display area for view; and a mounting arrangement on the basal element for securing the basal element to the shelf.